1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a novel bicycle rack. More specifically, the invention relates to such a rack mountable on the frame of a bicycle and adapted to support a side carrier on at least one side thereof. The invention also relates to an arrangement comprising the bicycle rack and the side carrier wherein the side carrier includes a clip on a side wall thereof and the rack includes an interface for releasably attaching the side carrier to the rack by engagement of the clip.
2. Description of Prior Art
Racks for mounting side carriers on the back wheels of bicycles are known in the art as illustrated in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,944,712, Glenny, Jul. 12, 1960, U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,626, Meier, Jr., Mar. 22, 1955, U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,661, Glenny, Apr. 30, 1963, U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,255, Dunn, Aug. 9, 1988, U.S. Pat. No. 2,229,756, McCann et al, Jan. 28, 1941, U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,625, Kiang, May 17, 1983 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,382, Blackburn, May 15, 1979.
The '712 patent teaches an arrangement for mounting side carriers (baskets) 10 on the back wheel of a bicycle. The baskets are fixedly attached to the arrangement. The '646 patent teaches an arrangement for mounting side carriers (baskets) 20 on a bicycle, such that the side carriers can be easily removed without tools, by clipping a hook 40 onto the rear stay 12 of the bicycle.
In the '661 patent, side baskets 10 are attached at the rear end of a bicycle to the rear axle or frame and with bracket 18 to the rear fender. In the '255 patent, side baskets 10 are attached by nuts and bolts to diagonal frame member 13 and horizontal frame member 15.
In all of the above arrangements, rack members are not used for attaching the side carriers to the bicycle. Instead, the side carriers are mounted either directly to the bicycle or to the bicycle by brackets.
In the '756 patent, there is taught a rack member, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, for mounting a top carrier 21. The sides of the rack member, as seen in FIG. 2, are triangular in shape.
Both the '625 patent and the '382 patent also teach bicycle racks for mounting over the back wheel of a bicycle and having side members which are triangular in shape.
In all of the '756, '625 and '382 patents, the racks do not include facilities for mounting side carriers.